#EquiPepperStars winners. The top 6 ex racehorses in the UK.

This week I announced the winners of our search to find the top 6 ex racehorses in the UK. If you read our post with all the entries we had, you will know how many fantastic horses were entered. It was really hard to pick just six so I wanted introduce you to the top six and what it was what made them stand out. So in no particular order, here are our top 6 ex racehorses in the UK.

Indubitably

Their Entry:

This is Indubitably (GB) aka Samuel.After finishing a long jump racing career, mostly in Ireland, he came to me fresh off the track as a 9yr old.He is quite frankly, the most handsome, intelligent and amazing horse ever!We have enjoyed so many activities together including Showing, Dressage, X Country and Fun Rides.Almost two years ago we discovered Trec! This amazingly talented horse has taken this multi discipline sport in his stride going from starter to Open Intermediate levels in one season, being always placed or winning both winter and summer league competitions, nationally and regionally.The total pinnacle of our journey was being asked to be part of the showcase and demostrations by Trec GB at last year’s Your Horse Live! He is my perfect horse!

What I liked:

I thought Indubitably was a fantastic representation of how diverse ex racehorses can be. Not only did he have a fairly long racing career, retiring as a 9 year old. But after retiring he turned his hoof to many different disciplines before finding his second calling in Trec.

Dontcallmeginger

Their Entry:

This is Dontcallmeginger . Raced on and the flat as a 4 year old with a modest win but then ultimately binned . He came to me from a dealer as a 7/8 year old I think . Having previously evented to Novice level but hung my boots up I brushed them off and retrained this little horse and started competing again . He was 3rd and 5 th in his first BE 90,s jumping double clears . He went from strength to strength finally taking me back Novice and winning points at his second Novice attempt . He was then professionally evented and won a CCI short and had numerous good Novice placings including a win at ON . He also won an RoR class at the Lincolnshire Show with me and 2 nd the following year with his eventing jockey . He is a head shaker but despite this tries his heart out and rarely had a showjumping pole and has a pretty impressive Xc record . After seeing a plea from a teenage who had sadly lost her lovely mare he went on loan to mend her broken heart . He became a PC horse attending rallies etc and ultimately won the area intermediate eventing and went to the championships . He also represented the PC at the showjumping at Burghley . But most of all he is the happiest horse I have ever owned . He is always smiling and willing to please you . He adores his new mummy in his loan home and is , despite his issue with pollen etc , one of the loviest horses I have shared my life with.

What I liked:

What really caught my eye is that he competed in eventing at Novice level with multiple riders but then became a pony club horse for a teenager, attending championships.

Red Inferno

Their Entry:

Red inferno, 9yo ex flat racer. He mainly events and has been up to 2* level last season but he is a real family horse. My mum completed her wobbleberry challenge on him when he was only 6, she hadn’t jumped for about 20years! He has turned his hoofs to side saddle/showing as well as his usual sj/dressage alongside the eventing. He also lets my dad ride him for family hacks, my godmother adores him and he is now the only horse she will ride out on along with teaching many other riders what it’s like sitting on a Ferrari in the yard. He is an absolute diamond and not just my best friend but a true family bestie

one we hope to move further up the grades eventing.

What I liked:

My favourite thing about Red Inferno was that not only has he competed up to 2* in eventing, but he is also a great family horse completing the Wobbleberry challenge with her Mum and hacking out with her Dad.

Tranquil River

Their Entry:

River is a 15 year old and had been off the tracks for 10 years now (but shake a feed bucket and he races up the field like he never left

). I picked him up on a whim for very little money and a two and a half hour drive across the country

He was advertised with two badly taken pictures and a bit of a nutcase when we arrived (turns out he doesn’t like being stabled or loaded so we now live out 24/7 with a shelter because his mental state is really important to me… And he got really dangerous in a stable we were renting ) We live a nice quiet life together and just enjoy hacking and schooling at home. The plan was to do RoR and some online dressage this year but obviously riding is out the window at the moment as I’m stuck at uni and he’s home with my mum and the kids.The kids adore him. My brother has autism and finds River really calming. We go on little rides together and he’s learning to do more with him like rigs etc because he’s 11. The littler siblings adore he because he’s so dopey. He just wants a cuddle and will happily plod round with them on him (or stand and eat his dinner).River has been my rock through a lot of things in the 3 years I’ve had him now and he may not be everyone’s ring champion but the gentle look in his eyes especially towards my little sister makes him my champion every time.

What I liked:

Ex racehorses have a reputation of being difficult, dangerous and stressful. So it was lovely to hear how Tranquil River has a calming effect on her autistic brother and is quiet around the other children. I just felt like it was a great example of how gentle these horses can be.

Mowbray

Their Entry:

Mowbray- my 25. Year old ex hurdler- paied a mer ££ for him 15 years ago to retrain to sj. He was my main Bsja horse for 9 years and still competes all summer at local, county and national level qualifying for the ror National and regional championships for the last 6 years. He won the regional 1 metre class for 3 years running and had many placing a at the national championships over the last 3 years. He has jumped all over the place at Hickstead for 5 years and very fairly let’s me down. He now at the older age has slowed down a bit but loves a summer of sj and galloping and of course eating. I don’t know many horses that have turned a hoof to sj, arena eventing, x country, showing and dressage and for 15 years after a good time as a racehorse before.He truly is in my view the best ex racehorse

What I liked:

It was great to see a horse at the top of their game and holding their regional 1m class for three years in a row. That rarely happens anywhere!

Ordensritter

Their Entry:

This is ordensritter he’s 12 years old , finished racing 2 years ago, since I’ve owned him he’s had a hairline fracture to his radius after he was kicked, starts of navicular and changes in his pastern , he is still happy go lucky boy , I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis just as we were rehabbing his leg, he always waits for me and if I’m wobbly he will move closer to help me, if when we were riding and I’d get really tired he would just help me anyway he can, he loves children and will do anything for them, he will watch over them if they are playing near his field , even when a friends daughter climbed up the gate to say hello he held her there until her mum arrived to make sure she didn’t fall this boy is one in a million always puts a smile on my face , loves his showing and the camera, the kids can dress him up and he’s not phased ,the bond we have is amazing .

What I liked:

Most of us will say our horses are our rock. But not sure that could be more true than for Ordensritter. He sounds like he has given his owner stability both mentally and when she needs it physically.

It has been lovely reading all the entries and great to see so many examples of how amazing ex racehorses are. So another congratulations to the top 6.

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EquiPepper was born from Ruby’s love of thoroughbreds and passion to change the negative stigma surrounding the breed. Inspired by her first horse and ex racehorse Highland Rain, EquiPepper aims to improve the welfare of horses around the world by educating horse owners.